Each fall at North Atlanta features tons of homework, tests a-plenty, and extra-curricular activities out the wazoo. With all that stress, there’s always a desire to let off steam and have a little bit of fun. Fortunately, that stress-relief and fun comes every year in the form of Homecoming.

Homecoming 2018, held from Sept. 17 to 22 and sponsored by the Student Government Association, sported a “Day at the Beach” theme and featured enough zany antics to keep students pepped up for much of the semester. Each day during the week had a different theme, ranging from Monday’s “Pajama Day” to Wednesday’s “Way Back” theme that had students dressed up in colorful and stylish garb from decades gone by.

The overarching beach theme, which capped off with Friday’s Luau Day, was a big hit with many students. “We put a lot of effort into picking a theme that has broad appeal so I’m glad it’s been well-received,” said junior Chase Brathwaite, a member of SGA.

Tuesday was “Old or Young” day when students got in touch with their inner babies — by, say, rocking pacifiers or carrying along their blankies — or they had a gas of a time projecting their senior citizen selves. It took one geriatric junior with grey hair and a cane a long time to make it up several flights of stairs and the complaints he was casting were hilariously heard by all. During the week, a DJ booth with strobe lights was in the cafeteria giving diners some beats during the mid-day meal. There was one student who got a little too lit and had a run-in with disapproving administrators after he was dancing on his table. “Even though I had to clean the tables, it was totally worth it. I love being able to get hype during lunch,” said junior Brian Bird.

The week’s Powder Puff game, held before a large crowd at Warrior Field on Thursday evening, saw the seniors dust the sophomores in the finals by a score of 6 to 0. “We knew we wanted to go out with a victory and it really felt so good when we got it,” said senior Parker Dingman. “Just remember: Class of 2018 rules!”

Friday night at Grady Stadium the football team beat Cambridge 23 to 14, marking a big region win and the first North Atlanta homecoming game win in a decade.

On Saturday night, the Homecoming Dance was held in the gym and students had fun surfing into a great time all the while dancing with their peers.

Homecoming Week comes just once a year so students did their best to make the most of it. When everyone goes through an action-packed week of pajamas, hippie peace signs, Hawaiian leis and tropical shirts, there’s only one downside to all this fun: the very real case of “Hoco Week” nostalgia and letdown that followed the next week.